Photo Hiking Journal

Edwards AFB F-101A Voodoo #53-2422 10/5/14

McDonnell F-101A-1-MC Voodoo serial #53-2422 was the 5th Voodoo off the initial production line in early 1955. One of 77, F-101As produced. Affectionately called the "One-oh-Wonder", the F-101A's were used as jet-powered escort fighters. It was later given the designation JF-101A, the "J" prefix indicating a temporary change of configuration for test purposes. This Voodoo served as a test bed for various engines and configurations that were used in later F-101 Voodoos. Next it was used by the Astronaut Training School in the 1960's. It is noted to have been used by Mike Collins, Command Pilot of Apollo 11.

At the end of its career, the aircraft was towed out to the Precision Impact Range Area (PIRA) to be used as a radar target (offset and timing target) in 1979. A photo calibration target is located next to it, which is made of painted concrete with a series of white painted metal plates bolted to it. These targets are curious land-based two-dimensional optical artifacts used for the development of aerial photography and aircraft. The targets function like an eye chart at the optometrist, where the smallest group of bars that can be resolved marks the limit of the resolution for the optical instrument that is being used.